Safety fastening means



y 1, 1966 w. H. WEST 3,254,321

SAFETY FASTENING MEANS Original Filed Jan. 15, 1961 INVENTOR. Wilson H. Wes

His A/torney United States Patent 1 Claim. '(Cl. 339-91) This is a division of disclosure in co-pending parent application Ser. No. 80,915, West, filed January 15, 1961, now Patent 3,192,499, West, issued June 29, 1965. Reference can also be made to an earlier division of the parent disclosure in co-pending application Ser. No. 338,207, West, filed January 16, 1964, now Patent 3,192,500, West, issued June 29, 1965.

This invention relates to fastening means, and particularly, to safety measures to assure against accidental separation of components that are used on a vehicle having power actuated accessories and the like to be reliably energizable at all times.

An object of this invention is to provide new and improved safety fastening means on connectors for easy assembling and positive retention.

Another object of this invention is to provide safety fastening means to retain male and female connector components together, though permitting easy assembly and snap action to aid in making a blind assembly in limited space such as to avoid complaints on power window failures .at locations enclosed in doors and quarter panels of vehicles where removal of trim pads is a problem to provide access to the male and female connector components.

Another object of this invention is to provide fastening of telescoping as well as mating connector components by use of a spring clip retainer means having a deflectable projecting portion extending from a connector-straddling primary mounting portion and adapted to provide positive indication of assembly and retention as a substantially V-shaped end of the projecting portion .snaps into a predetermined position with respect to a secondary connector component.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURES l and 2 illustrate safety fastening means and mating connector components in perspective in accordance with the present invention.

During mass production manufacture of vehicle bodies there is a progressive assembly of parts and components some of which become difficult to reach for servicing once a vehicle is completed. In recent years there has been an increased provision of power-operated accessories and the like requiring reliability in operationto assure customer satisfaction and to avoid possible inconvenience. An example of such power-operated accessories can be found in window actuators installed to be reciprocable in vehicle doors and panels in accordance with selective energizationof actuators either by passengers or a vehicle operator having access to switch means such as disclosed in a Patent 2,919,315, Woofter, belonging to the assignee of the present invention. Installation of interior trim along doors and quarter panels of a vehicle as disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 2,383, filed January 14, 1960, now Patent 3,054,213, Mathues, issued to the "ice assignee of the present invention on September 18, 1962, can result in difliculty and limitation in access to connections between control switch means and a power window actuator, for example. Removal of upholstery and trim components can prove expensive and time consuming particularly when accidental separation of mating and telescoping components occurs to result in a break or loose connection either due to faulty initial installation or due to shocks and vibrations encountered during use of a vehicle subject to various road conditions as well as repeated opening and shutting of a door. Sometimes a vehicle door is inadvertently slammed shut and unknowlingly a separation of connection components can occur to interrupt supply of power to window actuatorssuch that servicing 'is required before a window can be opened or shifted to a closed position for locking a vehicle when it is to be left unattended. Connector components can be fitted with terminal means such as disclosed in Patent 2,682,038, Johnson, belonging-to the assignee of the present invention but forming no part of the present invention. It is to be understood that any suitable terminals can be mounted for mating inside connector components provided with safety fastening means in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 1 provides a perspective view of mating or telescoping connector components 40 and 41 having a safety fastening means generally indicated by numeral 42 secured to the component 41. The fastening means 42 includes a connector-straddling primary mounting portion 43 that can be generally C-shaped to terminate in a tab 44 as well as a laterally extending projection or tongue 45 having an inwardly bent end to abut against one edge of the connector component 41. A spring-like and resilient deflectable projecting portion 46 is integral laterally outwardly displacing the V-shaped end 47 of the projecting portion 46 which is longer-than the tongue 45 can the connector body 41 be removed from telescoping and mating relationship with the corresponding connector component 41.

The perspective view of FIGURE 2 illustrates mating connector components 50 and 51 provided with further safety fastening means generally indicated by numeral 52 including a substantially C-shaped spring clip retainer means or connector-straddling primary mounting portion 53 with an end 54 as well as a laterally hooked arm or extension 55. Also integral with the C-shaped portion 53 there is a spring-like resilient projecting portion 56 that terminates in a substantially V-shaped end 57. The C-shaped portion 53 and an end of the resilient projecting portion 56 adjacent thereto can abut against a shoulder 59 as a reference location with respect to anchoring of the clip retainer means by way of the inwardly bent arm 55 and V-shaped end 57 with respect to the connector components 50 and 51.

Once engaged, the connector component or plug is securely locked to a power window actuator connector body, for example, thus preventing accidental dislocation of electrical contact established thereby regardless of vibrations and slamming of a door. By adding a proper and locked engagement of connector components for power window regulators or actuators necessity for removing upholstery or door trim and panel trim is avoided. This results in a saving of time and money as well as inconvenience for customers who are satisfied with their power accessories.

While the embodiments of the present invention herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

For telescoping as well as mating connector components both of interfitting insulating material squared in cross section that includes an intermediate enlarged abutment on one component thereof which is surrounded by a connector-straddling unitary spring clip retainer means, the improvement therewith which comprises a squared C- shaped primary mounting portion having one edge thereof in engagement on one side of said intermediate enlarged abutment, said squared C-shaped primary mounting portion having a separable fit transverse to axial mating interfit inwardly of said intermediate enlarged abutment and having offset-tab end termination that aids engagement and disengagement thereof also transverse to axial mating interfit, a first relatively short arm engaging only the same connector component in a location along a side of said intermediate enlarged abutment opposite to that engaged by said squared C-shaped primary mounting portion in a location remote from said offset tab end termination as to the squared insulating material of that component primarily carrying said spring clip retainer means, said first relatively short arm having a location laterally to one side of said squared C-shaped primary mounting portion and longitudinally parallel to axial mating interfit, and a second longer arm extending laterally in the same direction as and parallel to said shorter arm in a quadrant immediately adjacent to said shorter arm, said longer arm having a V-shaped end extending laterally inwardly as well as backwardly for hook engagement against lateral as well as longitudinal dislocation of the remaining component of insulating material in a location remote both from said one component and said squared C-shaped primary mounting portion, said longer arm having a location laterally intermediate that of said shorter arm and said offset tab end termination of said squared C-shaped primary mounting portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,874,334 8/1932 Nero 339-75 X 2,183,651 12/1939 Langston et al. 339-91 2,384,267 9/1945 Anderson 339-91 X 3,146,051 8/1964 Woofter et al. 33947 JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

W. DONALD MILLER, Examiner. 

